Figma, Sketch and Adobe XD are three of the most popular tools for web design and prototyping. They have many similarities and differences, and each one has its own strengths and weaknesses. In this article, you will learn some tips for using these tools effectively and efficiently, whether you are working solo or in a team.
Before you start designing, you should consider which tool suits your project best. Figma is a cloud-based tool that allows you to collaborate online with other designers and stakeholders. It also has a powerful plugin system that lets you extend its functionality. Sketch is a desktop tool that has a large and active community of developers and users. It offers many integrations with other tools and services, and it has a rich library of templates and resources. Adobe XD is a cross-platform tool that integrates well with other Adobe products. It has a simple and intuitive interface, and it supports voice and animation prototyping.
Figma and Adobe XD have been two of the biggest names in UX design, and every search for the ideal interface design app will likely bring you to one or both of these tools. However, with the recent acquisition of Figma by Adobe, there's been a marked shift in how the design world views these two tools—as well as a quiet but marked change in the availability of Adobe XD. Still interested in a comparison? Take a look at how Figma and Adobe XD features measure up alongside each other, from essential features that affect design to responsive auto layouts, components, and design systems, as well as prototyping and developer handoff.
Now that Figma has been acquired by Adobe, I think soon they will be releasing XD features in Figma, in my perspective as a designer if we can adapt to Figma we will have more control over the wide range of features that they have been releasing. Variables in Figma has been a great game changer and the advantage over other applications is it's cloud based and you can access your files in any system. Also Dev mode has been very useful for the UI developers as well... All these are based on my experience, it may vary based on individual experience.
Seeing that Figma and XD were constantly emulating one another's features already. This Adobe acquisition seems like a good thing overall for the Figma platform. Just recently I worked on a custom WordPress build from Figma-based designs, and I was really impressed with how the Figma dev tools produced syntactically-correct CSS that I could copy and past directly into my child theme.
Before starting the project , I make sure all content and layout of the final website are ready.My favourite tool fir this purpose it Figma
One of the keys to successful web design is to keep your files and layers organized and easy to find. You should use consistent naming conventions for your artboards, pages, components, symbols, styles, and assets. You should also group and nest your layers logically, and use color codes or labels to differentiate them. This will help you maintain a clear structure and hierarchy, and avoid confusion and duplication.
Implementing this approach of consistent naming will help for easy collaborations with other stakeholders and execution of project become faster
Another way to improve your web design workflow is to master the shortcuts and gestures that each tool offers. These can save you a lot of time and effort, and make your design process more smooth and enjoyable. For example, you can use the spacebar to pan and zoom, the shift key to constrain proportions, the option key to duplicate, and the command key to select multiple items. You can also use gestures like pinching, swiping, and tapping to navigate and manipulate your design.
Components and symbols are reusable elements that you can create and edit once, and use across your design. They help you maintain consistency and efficiency, and reduce errors and changes. Figma and Adobe XD call them components, while Sketch calls them symbols. You can create components and symbols from any layer or group of layers, and you can customize their properties and overrides. You can also nest them within each other, and use them as instances or masters.
Styles and libraries are another way to ensure consistency and coherence in your web design. Styles are predefined attributes that you can apply to any layer, such as colors, fonts, shadows, borders, and effects. Libraries are collections of components, symbols, and styles that you can share and access across your projects. Figma and Sketch have built-in features for creating and managing styles and libraries, while Adobe XD requires you to use external plugins or cloud documents.
The final tip for using Figma, Sketch and Adobe XD is to test and share your prototypes with your clients, users, or teammates. Prototyping is a crucial step in web design, as it allows you to validate your ideas and get feedback. You can create interactive prototypes by linking your artboards, adding transitions, animations, and interactions, and setting up triggers and responses. You can then preview your prototypes on your device or browser, and share them via a link or a QR code. You can also collect comments, annotations, and suggestions from your collaborators, and make adjustments accordingly.
Figma has a robust community ecosystem with various plugins and files available. Plugins can boost the program's functionality by adding new features, and the community files can provide resources such as design systems and templates. Plugins can range from Accessibility Checkers to Physics Engines. There's a wide variety of powerful ones to explore within Figma!